AI & smart cars: how technology could transform transportation

When it comes to making transportation safer and less harmful to the environment, technology is making huge strides. From autonomous cars to connected cars and smart cars, these vehicles are fitted with state-of-the-art technology which is transforming the industry as a whole.

Of course, with such intelligent vehicles comes an eyewatering price tag and the potential risk to individuals’ livelihoods if such technology makes them more or less redundant. From the good to the bad, here’s how technology is transforming the transport industry today.

AI tech in modern-day cars

AI is playing a central role in the evolution of transportation. Perhaps its biggest achievement to date is the autonomous vehicle. Capable of driving autonomously from one point to another without any human guidance, these vehicles are going to be a game-changer to long-distance freight hauls, especially in the Central American states where the roads are perfectly suited to such vehicles.

Another brainchild of modern technology is the connected car. This vehicle can coordinate its navigation with others and use AI to enhance the route.

Finally, smart cars are those that are equipped with AI but still need the support of a human being. They have the potential to make roads much safer than they are today, protecting the driver, other drivers, pedestrians and other unexpected obstacles on the road. One such piece of technology is a windshield camera that enables the car to ‘see’ and interpret other objects in front of it.

Future potential

There are plenty of companies that are progressing with AI technology in transport. One such company is Wayve, a driverless startup in London that has developed a Machine Learning model to drive two different vehicle types. It’s a world first!

Instead of going down the robotics route, Wayve vehicles are utilising highly detailed 3D maps and other capabilities for sensing and planning. Not only is Deep Learning a cheaper way to achieve the desired goal but it can also be manufactured quicker.

The training model is one of trial and error and imitation learning. Therefore, it takes an unprecedented amount of time to train an AI model to drive a car, considering there are endless variables out on the road.

The result? Fully autonomous cars that can navigate their way through London’s busy streets, successfully interpreting double-parked cars and cyclists with ease. The future is certainly bright when it comes to AI transportation.

Downsides of a smart car

Besides the hefty price, people are yet to fully trust the capabilities of a smart car. Comprehensive measures like car gap insurance will ensure you are covered should anything happen while protecting the car’s inherent value since they are generally quite expensive in comparison to I.C.E cars.

The technology used today to power smart cars has a lot of room for improvement, as each year goes by we hear more cases of self-driving cars being involved in accidents or failing motorists in dangerous situations. This should however improve with time as machine learning uses more and more new data to mimic human-like driving and improve safety.